Loading machine



May 19, 1953 R. H. GooDRlcH 2,639,023

LOADING MACHINE Filed Maron 26, i946 3 Sheets-Sheet l f// 7c 7, ff /W//f/f/ A o O Il 0l l0 0/ //0/ /QZOIIIIIII| 3 i=x Y A' 27 l. ggf@ /f 4 Meagan May 19, 1953 R. H. GooDRlcH 2,639,023

LOADING MACHINE im 65 Hl y' "M" r r r r;

May 19, 1953 R. H. GooDRlcl-l LOADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 26, 1946 Patented May 19, 1953 LOADING MACHINE Ross H. Goodrich, IClaremont, N. H., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 26, 1946, Serial No. 657,107

1 Claim.

'Ihis invention relates to loading machines and more particularly to an improved material gathering mechanism embodying cooperating relatively movable gathering elements and improved fiuid operated means for moving the gathering elements during the gathering operation.

In a gathering mechanism for a loading machine, there are usually employed cooperating, relatively movable gathering elements for moving the material to be loaded onto an elevating conveyor, and such gathering elements are usually mechanically interconnected and mechanically driven in unison so that in the event that one gathering element becomes stalled due to overloading, the other gathering element concurrently ceases to function. Also in such mechanically driven gathering elements, the drive thereof is usually of the substantially constant speed type sc that varying gathering speeds under varying loads to suit different loading conditions are impossible. And such mechanically interconnected and mechanically'driven gathering elements ofttimes lack inherent flexibility of operation such as is desirable in gathering mechanism of loading machines for loading material, such as coal, in underground coal mines. The gathering elements are usually driven by one or more electric motors through reduction gearing and friction clutches, and overloading 0f the mechanism often results in excessive wear of the clutches and damage to the windings of the motor or motors; and often when the mechanism is operating under extremely heavy load, the demands on the electric system in a mine become excessive, resulting in undesirable peak loads.

In accordance with the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, the cooperating gathering elements of the gathering mechanism may be driven by fluid operated motors so arranged and so associated with the gathering elements that in the event one gathering element slows down or becomes stalled due to overloading, the other gathering element may continue to function in a normal manner. By the provision of variable control for the fluid operated motors for moving the gathering elements, great flexibility is attained, thereby making it possible for an electric driving motor to continue to run at normal speeds by the provision of suitable safety means in the fluid system. Also in accordance with the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, fluid operated cylinder and piston devices are employed to move the cooperating gathering elements and vnovel means is provided for controlling the distribution of fluid with respect to these cylinder and piston devices so that the same may be operated iny a definite sequence determined by the paths of movement of the gathering elements. By the provision of suitable automatic bypass valve means in the iiuid system, overloading of the electric driving motor is impossible and overheating, due to overload, is precluded. More specically, the cylinder and piston devices may be pivotally mounted and may be pivotally connected to the gathering elements and the latter may be confined to a predetermined path during portions of their movements by the provision of suitable guiding means. Automatic fluid distributing valve mechanism operating at a constant speed under any given condition may be employed for controlling the fluid distribution with respect to the cylinder and piston devices to effect operation of the latter in a predetermined manner so that a predetermined sequence of operationY of the gathering elements may be maintained. The speed of operation of the distributing valve mechanism may be varied under manual control to obtain the variable speed operation of the gathering elements.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved gathering mechanism for a loading machine. Another object is to provide an improved gathering mechanism wherein the gathering elements thereof are iiuid operated, resulting in extreme flexibility of operation. Yet another object is to provide an improved gathering mechanism wherein the gathering elements may be moved during the gathering operation by fluid cylinder and piston devices arranged and mounted in a novel manner. Another object is to provide improved fluid operated moving means for'the gathering elements of a gathering mechanism together with improved control means for the moving means whereby variable speed operation may beobtained. A further object is to provide an improved fluid operated gathering mechanism embodying automatic fluid distributing valve means for distributing the operating fluid with respect to the cylinder and piston devices to operate the'latter in a predetermined sequence. Still another object is t0 provide an improved fluid distributing valve mechanism which may have variable operating conditions wherein the speed of operation of the fluid motors for moving the gathering elements may be varied to suitv diierent loading conditions. A still further object is to provide improved gathering elements mounted and guided during their operation in an improved manner. Still another object is to provide an improved material gathering mechanism having a novel combination and arrangement of parts. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more iully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration cne form which the invention may assumein practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of the gathering head of a loading machine in which an illustrative form of the improved gathering mechanismembodied.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinaltvertical sectiony taken substantially on line-Z--a'ofFigf l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinally extending vertical sectional view taken substantiallyt on lines 3f-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, witlr` a portion in plan, illustrating the fluid distributing. val-veY mechanism;

Fig. 5 is across-sectional. view:A taken on line. 5---5` of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is; a'f cross-sectional view taken on line 6--6 of. Fig; 4.

Figs. 7- and 8 are sectional. views similar to Figs. 5 and 6 respectively, showing` the-cams* and valves: in diierenti positions.

Figs. 9 and l'0 aresectional viewssimilar to Figs; 7- and- 8 respectivelyshowingfthe cams and valves in stillother. positions:

1-1` isaV diagrammatic View illustrating the fluid system.

this illustrative embodiment. of the. invention. theimprovedga-theri-ngfmechanism is em:- bodied.y inthe loading head of. a-x loadingv machine especially designed.. for use inztheleading ofl coal or. similar materialin underground mines. Evidently.. the gathering. mechanism mayr be associated with. loading: machines' ofAA various kinds for load-ing various sorts of. material;

As-shownin. the drawings, thegatheringV head, generally designated. I-.,. of the loading'machine has associated therewith. an endless elevating conveyor L. Aszis-usualfirr coalloadingmachines, the gathering. head and the.- forward portion of theelevating conveyor. may, bapivotally mounted on apertable, base=for verticaltilti-ng:adjustment, and", during the loading. operation., the nose 3- of thee gathering head. is.FV locatedy near or. r-estsI on themine floor so-that the pi'lerof'. material to be loaded may be. readilypenetrated.,

The. improved-r gathermg mechanism of. the gatheringY headcomprises apai-r of. cooperating relatively movable. gathering elements or. arms 4;, 4. so arranged and. mounted` on.. the head. at .the opposite. sides of. the receiving. end of.. the. con.- veyor as to penetrate. thepile of` materialto. be loaded.v and. to. move. the. material onto. the. ele.- vating conveyor whereby. the material. may be moved. rearwardly of the. machine. to. a` suitable pointof. discharge. InFigs.. l, 2.. and 3, thenose ofthe. gather-ing head. is. shown.. in` its. elevated transport position; with.. the gathering elements substantially horizontally disposed.. However, during the loading operationthe gathering head is inclined-downwardly withits nose :in-proximity tothe. mine. floor.. The. gathering head has. a platform, or' decla 5. and. the. forwardportion. of the: elevating conveyor is-.substantially ush. with the`- topsurface. of theplatform. The forward penetrating edge 6.0i the. head-nose is. provided by the. relatively inclined` converging surfaces. of the. nose. Arranged nchambers .7, l'j provided. by casings 8 carried; on. the. headlplatiorm. at` the opposite sides of the elevating conveyor are fluid motors 9 and I il, herein pivotally mounted at their rear ends at II and I2 respectively on the head platform, and pivotally connected at I3 and I4 respectively at their front ends to the gathering arms Il. `Since the specific structure of the gathering arms and the actuating motors therefor at' the.- opposite sides of the.. elevating conveyor are thev same, the description of the structure associated with one gathering arm Will suffice for both. The motors il and I0 are of the fluid operated cylinder and piston type and each motor a' comprises a cylinder I5 containing a reciprocable'pi-ston. Iii. having its piston rod Il' projecting T. forwardly through the front packed head I3 of the cylinder. The:I piston rod is pivotally connected. by the pivotal connection I3 to the rear end ofthe inclined" rear portion I9 of the associated". gathering arm. The pivotal connections i3 each includes a pivot pin 2i) carrying rollers 2L guidedfin.arcuateslotsor guideways 2.2 formed respectively in` the: platform 5.- and.. av top plateA 23. otthecasing. 8.. Each motor i0." comprises a cylinder 211. containing, a.. reciprocable piston. 2'5 having.. its.v piston. rod 2E,- proiecting., forwardly through. thefront packed head1?. of, the cylinder: The forward end ofthe piston rod is pivotally connected by the.. pivotal. connection. I4 to the associated. gathering.. arm. intermediate the ends of.4 the.. latter.. Each gathering, arm has its. forward gathering. portion 23 arranged" angul'arly with. respect. to. the. rearward'. portion LL and the gathering. portion terminates. in. a. forward penetrating. end 2d which overlies the, nose. of' the gathering. head. The points. of pivotal connection at.. I are herein ldcated at. the juncture of thearmportionsd'aand itl of. the gathering arms. The. gathering. portion. ZB. is confined to movement.. in. a. predetermined path so. that. its tip. end` traces anv irregular orbitv as indicatedl in broken lines. at. (l in Fig. 1. As the gathering portionsitol the. gatheringarms move inwardly and rearwardly during.l the gathering operation, they approach the receiving end of. theelevating conveyor near. the` longitudinal median line. of the head. inthe manner. shown. It.. is accordingly evident. thatwhen operating fluidv is suppliedto therear ends. of, the cylinders I5 andl 211; the. pistons.. Iii and` 25. are moved forwardly in unison,.moving.thegathering arms from the full line positions indicated at A in Fig. 1' in aforward. direction. into, the pile ofv material to b e loaded.; and. as. the arms. move forwardly, the arcuate guide. slots or. guideways 22 cause the arms. to. move inwardly toward the longitudinal vertical center of the loading head to the position. indicated at B in dotted lines in Fig.. l. The pistons. i6. of the cylinders l5 are then held in their foremost positions., against the front cyl'- inder. heads. by the. pressure of. the iiuid, while the. rear. ends of. the. cylinders, 2d are connected to exhaust, and operating. fuid is supplied to the front ends of the cylinders 2.4 to. effect retraction ofY the pistons. 25,A and as these pistons move rearwardly, the gathering arms are swung inwardly about the axes. of. their pivotal. connections I3. with the piston. rods. I'l. towardy the receiving-endof the. elevating. conveyor to. the position indicated in. dotted lines at C. n Fig. l, thereby moving the material onto the conveyor. The pistons 25' are then heldin their rearmost positions against. the. rear cylinder heads. by the pressure of the fluid. and' operating fluid may then besupplied to the front ends ofthe cylinders I5 while the rear endsY of the cylinders are eqn,

nected to exhaust to retract the pistons lr6, thereby swinging the arms outwardly and rearwardly to their original positions indicated at A in Fig. 1. The cycle of events above described is then successively repeated during normal operation of the gathering mechanism.

Now referring to the improved fluid system shown in Fig. 1l and more particularly to the improved automatic fluid distributing valve mechanism for distributing operating fluid with respect to the motor cylinders, it will be noted that a motor 34, preferably an electric motor, drives pairs of conventional fiuid pumps 35, 3'6, 37 and 38, one pump individual to each of the arm-moving motors, and having their intake sides connected by branch conduits 39, 4l), 4I and 42 to a conduit 43 connected to a fluid tank 44.' The discharge sides of the pumps are connected by conduits 45, 46, 41 and 48 to the supply passages of a valve box 49. The exhaust passages of the valve box are connected by branch conduits 50, 5I, 52 and 53 to a conduit 54 leading back to the tank. The pump discharge conduits 45, 46, 41 and 48 are respectively connectible by automatic relief valves 55, 56, 51 and 58 and conduits 59 and 69 back to the tank so that when the pressure in the iiuid system becomes excessive due to overload, the fluid will be automatically bypassed back to the tank.

'I'he valve box -49 is of a conventional design having parallel bores 65, 466, El and 68 respectively containing reciprocable slide valves B9, 10, 'll and 'l2 of the well known balanced spool type herein having cam actuation and spring return. Com

cesses 75, 'l5 with which the exhaust passages 'i6 oi the valve box respectively communicate. Also communicating with the valve-receiving bores intermediate the recesses 15, I5- and the central lrecesses 'I3 are recesses 'l1 and 18. The recesses 'Vl and 'I8 which communicate with the valve-receiving bore y65 are connected by conduits 19 and 30 respectively to the rear and front ends of the upper motor cylinder I5 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 11, while the recesses il and 18 communicating with the valve-receiving bore 66 are connected by conduits 8l and 82 respectively to the rear and front ends of the upper motor cylinder 24. The recesses l1 and 'I8 communicating with the valve-receiving bore 61 are connected by conduits 83 and 8G respectively to the rear and front ends of the lower motor cylinder l5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 1l, whilethe recesses i1 and 'I8 communicating with the valvereceiving bore 68 are connected by conduits 85 and 86 respectively to the rear and front ends of the lower motor cylinder 2t. IThe slide valves 59, 10, ll and 'i2 may be shifted to connect the recesses 'H and 1B either with the supply recesses i3 or the exhaust recesses 15, 15 to connect the opposite ends of the motor cylinders eitherto supply or exhaust in an obvious manner. Coil springs 90 constantly urge the valves in onedirection and cams Si, 92, 93 and 94, fixed to a shaft $5 driven by a motor 96, move the valves in the opposite direction against the action of the springs. The valves have valve-stems 'Si which project outwardly from the valve box through packed heads 98, and these stems carry rollers 93 engaging the cams, and the springs 9B yieldingly hold the rollers in contact with the cams. The

6, lcam driving motor 96 is preferably a constant speed electric motor and suitable conventional variable speed, manually controllable reduction gearing i0@ may be arranged between the motor power shaft and the cam shaft 95 to obtain variable'speed drive of the latter. If desired, a variable speed electric motor under manual control may be employed to drive the cam shaft 95 at variable speeds. The cams `9 l 92, 93 and 94 are so shaped and so arranged as to move the slide valves in a predetermined manner to effect operation of the arm-moving motors 9 and I0 in their proper sequence as determined by the paths of movement of the gathering arms. By varying the speed of the cam shaft B5, the gathering speed of the gathering arms may be varied as desired. The pairs of cams .9i and 93 for the valves 69 and 'Il respectively and '92 and .fill for the valves il) and "i2 respectively are identical in design `and have the same angular relation with respect to the cam shaft so that the motors 9, Il] for one arm and the motors S, i0 for the other arm may be operated in unison. When the cams 9! and 92 are in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the valves 59 and 'f are positioned to connect the supply recesses 13, 'F3 with the recesses TI, H and uid may then `flow through conduits 19 and 8l to the rear ends of the upper motor cylinders i5 and 2li (Figs. 1 and 11), while the conduits B and 82 leading from the front ends of these cylinders are connected to exhaust through recesses i8 and l5 and exhaust conduits 5i] and 5l. The pistons h5 and 25 are then moved by the pressure of the fluid forwardly to move the associated gathering arm from the position A in Fig. 1 to the position B in that ligure. When the cams 9|, Q2 assume the positions shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the valve IE59, due to the shape of the cam-lobe, remains in the position of Fig. 5 with uidheld in the rear end of the cylinder l5 while the valve 'i0 is moved to connect the supply recess 13 with the recess 'IB and fluid may then iow through conduit 82 to the front end of the cylinder 2-1 and to connect the rear end of the cylinder 2li to exhaust through conduit 8i, recesses 11 and 15 and exhaust conduit 5l. The piston 25 in the cylinder 2d is then moved rearwardly by the pressure of the fluid to swing the gathering arm inwardly and rearwardly to the position shown at C in Fig. 1. When the cams Eil andSZ assume the positions shown in Figs. 9 and 10, Valve 10, due to ythe cam-lobe shape, remains in the position of Fig. 8 while the valve 59 has moved into its opposite position to connect the supply recess 'i3 with the recess 18 to supply iiuid through conduit to the front end of the cylinder I5 and to connect the rear end of the cylinder to exhaust through conduit ig, recesses Tl and 'I5 and exhaust conduit 5S. The piston I6 is then moved rearwardly by the pressure of the uid to move the gathering arm back to the position at A in Fig. 1 to complete the gathering cycle. The cams 9 3 and 'M for the valves ll and 'I2 operate in the saine manner as and concurrently with those de scribed above so that the other gathering arm is concurrently moved through a similar gathering cycle. Since there are provided four pumps, one individual to each motor cylinder, the gathering arms may be moved at a constant speed' determined by the speed of the cam drive shaft 95, and in the event one gathering arm slows down or stalls due to overload, the other arm may continue to function at a normal gathering speed. Upon overloading of the gathering arms, an excessive pressure is prevented from building up in the'y fluid system bythe automatic relief, valves 5.1;, 5.8;, and (t By varyingl the, speed of the cam, drive shaft: ,et the sathverifie.v sneedfmaybe varied to; suit; Varying loading conditions.

in: a loading machine of the type Ydiscl c sed, the pumps, `thed-riving motorsrBit andv and thedistrbnting; valve mec'hanismY be. mounted on the gathering: headbeneath,- the elevating c0171- veyQr or may: bemounted at, the base of themachine-independently of.' the head, and the lat.- terl ca s,e, the conduits leadingrom the valve box to. the motor cylinders will be exibleV to,.perm it tilting: adjustment. ofthe head relative to the baser While there is shown hereinV a, separate pum-p roreach; piston motor, it will be. evident thatcther suitahleformsofpumping mean-s may be employed.

The general mode-f operation of the improved eathering` mechanism will be clearly apparent fromthe descriptionl given. The loading-machine maybe moved in, a wellknown. manner into adjjaeency to: a; pile of material tobeloaded and the gathering,` head l may be tilted downwardly to bring thehead-noseanto proximity to the mine floor. 'lhevelevating con-veyor may then besuitablyA ranidly circulated andthe motors 3A and,u 9G maybe started with thecarn drive, sha-ft 95 driven atthe desired predetermined speed. As the cam driveshaft revolves, the slide valves E191, 10, H and 'l2 are. actuated by'. the cams 9|, S2, 9;? and lill to effeetuid supply; concurrently totile-,r/ear ends of the fourmotor cylinders l5, I and.y 2li, 2.15 to effect movement of the. gathering arms 4, 4 forwardly inyunison from the positions indicated at A in Fig; 1; to. penetrate the material to be loaded, and as the arms.v move forwardly, the arcuate guideways 2zY cause the arms to-r swing inwardly about their pivotal. connections.. I3 toward the longitudinal median lineof thegathering head to the positions indicated at B: in Fig. 1. When the,A pistons and 2li. are; at the forward` ends of their forward strokes, the valves lo and '1.2 are automatically shifted to eifect uid supply to the front ends of the. cylinders Zit while the rear cylinder-ends are connected to exhaust to swing the gathering arms` about thepvotal connections t3, inwardly and rearwardly tothe positions indicated. at `C in Fig. 1, thereby moving the material onto. the, elevating conveyor.. When the pistons 2a are at the endsl of their rearward strokes,l the; slide valves. 69vr and 'H are automatically shifted to effect iiuid Supply to the front ends of the cylinders 6.5 While the rear cylinder-ends are connected to exhaust to moveY the gathering armsoutwardly and rearwardly along the curved. guideways 22 tothe initial positions indicated at, A inFig. 1. These eventsare rapidly successively repeated in a denite sequence during` normal operation of the mechanism. In the event one` gathering arm slows down or stallsldue to overload, the other arm may continue to functionin. a normal manner. By changing the speed of the cam drive shaft 95, thespeed of movement of` the. gathering arms may be varied to suitably variablei loading conditions. Upon overload of the gathering. arms, the relief valves will open automatically to prevent the building up ofV excessive pressures in the fluid system. By the provision ofa separate pump for each, motor cylinden... a constant..y rate off fluidflowf may be maintainedY regardless of the. relative loads on. the gathering arms; Athereby.eliin-inat-ingthe tendency of a greater-rate of now to.. thosey motor. cylinders which are under the smaller load., Other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly alaparentto-.those skilledVv inthe art.

Whilethere` is in4 this application specically described; one form.v which the invention may assume in practice, it will'` be understood. that this form, ofrthe; same is. show-n for purposes of illustration andv thatv the invention. may hemodied andi; embodied inf variousy other-'forms without departing froml its' spirit y orV theI scope ofA the.v appended claim. v

What I; claim as` new` and desire` to secure by Letters: Patent is In a loading machine havin-g a. gatheringy and loadingghead provided with an inclined decir, a gathering arm movablev` bodily forwardly relative tosaid decir in planes parallel with the latter to effect penetration of' the. material to be loaded and swingable laterally and rearwardly in said planes to load the materialrearwardlyonto said deck', a guideway for said 'arm on said deck, a guide. for said arm. movable along'A said' guideway and; to which said arm is pivotally connected, fluid cylinders on said decir, and pivotal'ly connected to said arm yand simultaneouslyA operable to eifectbodily movementof saidfarmalong said guideway'thereby toleffect penetration of the material, saidarm when it reaches. the forwardl end off" said guideway bei-ng. prevented from farther forward. bodily movement, one of said fluid cylinders then being operable while the other cylinder remains stationary thereby to effect swinging of said arm about its. pivotal connection with said guide while the lat-ter is heldin engagement with the forward end off said guideway, said other fluid cylinder thereafter being operable to effect movement. of said arm rearwardly along said guidewayinto its initial retracted' position with respect to said. deck, andi control valve means for controlling fluid flow to and from said uid cylinders for effecting operation of said fluid cylinders. in the definite sequence aforementioned', said control valvemeans having power actuating. means and. means for coordinating the motion of said valve means with the arm-movement so that said arm is moved to eiect penetration and loading` of thematerial as aforementioned;

ROSS: H. GOODRICI-l.

Reerences Glted' in the -le of thisl patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 512,089 Bangerter Jan. 2, 1894 1,445,088 Joy Feb. 13, 1923 1,491,788 Chance Apr. 29, 1924 1,599,819 Joy Sept. 14., 1926` 1,799,113- Miedbrodt Mar. 31, 1931 1,920,596. Schafer Aug. 1, 1933 2,099,981 Joy Nov. 23, 1937 2,131,189. Osgood. Sept. 27, 1938 2,339,523 Sloane Jan. 1.8, 1944 2,390,566 Turchan. et al. Dec. 11, 1945 

